The Milken Institute recently released its annual ranking of the “Best-Performing Cities” across America and the Grand Junction metro ranked #57. That is up 24 ranks from last year and up over 130 ranks in the last four years.
The 2021 version of the index emphasizes jobs, wages, and hightech growth while incorporating new measures of housing affordability and household broadband access. With area housing prices steadily on the rise the last few years, Grand Junction unsurprisingly ranked lower on the housing affordability indicators (#156 and #158). Our community also ranked lower on high-tech GDP growth (160) and concentration (#154 and #167), however our high-tech GDP growth over a one-year period from 2018-2019 ranked #59. This aligns with a more recent trend we are seeing at GJEP of more tech-related businesses moving in or expanding in Grand Junction. We are confident we will continue to grow in this area.
The highest ranking Grand Junction received was #12 for 12-month job growth. A great feat that shows our community has indeed been able to diversify and attract more business as a result.
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